Newry man who allegedly rammed police cars refused bail

A police car sustained extensive frontal damage in the incident

A 32-year-old man who allegedly rammed two police cars on Thursday has been refused bail.

Kenneth Thomas McAteer, from St Moninna Park in Newry, is charged with nine offences including dangerous driving.

Three police officers were injured during the incident, which took place in the early hours of the morning on the Flagstaff road near Newry.

McAteer has more than 80 previous convictions, Newry Magistrates Court heard.

Thirty-one of these convictions were road traffic offences.

Kenneth Thomas McAteer appeared at Newry Magistrates Court via videolink from police custody

A prosecuting lawyer told the court McAteer was allegedly driving a silver Mercedes when it was stopped by two officers in an unmarked police car.

The Mercedes initially stopped, but "reversed back four or five metres suddenly" hitting the police vehicle before driving off.

As the car travelled along the Flagstaff Road, the passenger was seen throwing items into an adjacent field.

Extensive damage

The passenger, to whom the Mercedes is registered, also threw a number of buckles at the windscreen of the police vehicle.

A second liveried police vehicle sustained extensive frontal damage when the Mercedes crashed into it, the court heard.

Officers saw McAteer climb into the back seat of the Mercedes before he was breathalysed, displaying a reading of twice the legal drink driving limit.

A quantity of cannabis and pregabalin, a medication used to treat epilepsy, was found in the roof lining of the Mercedes.

'Disregard for safety'

Appearing by videolink from police custody, McAteer confirmed he understood the nine charges against him.

These charges include driving while banned and without insurance, two counts of dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and three charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily injury to police officers by dangerous driving.

The prosecuting lawyer described the incident as "serious", adding McAteer had shown "complete disregard for the safety" of other road users and as such was a risk to the public.

Defence counsel Kevin O'Hare argued McAteer should be granted bail as he had been crime-free for several years.

However, District Judge Mark Garrity said he was concerned about the risk "to officers and members of the public" in addition to concerns about further offences.

He refused bail and remanded McAteer into custody, adjourning the case to 1 February.